Improvement in paddle-wheels



LEMUELvl-w.v WRIGHT, "or BROOKLYN; NW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 104,528, dated June 21, 1870.

IMPRovnMENT -IN Paloma-WHEELS.

To all whom it may concerm e VBe it known that I, Lninnnn W'. WRIGHT, ofBrooklyn, inthe 'county of Kings and Stateof New York, have inventedfacertain new and useful Im-f provement, in'Pjaddle-Wheels; and thefollowing is hereby declaredto be afull and correct description of thesaidinvention. j

The objects of 4this invention are to prevent coneussiou as the bucketsofjthe wheel strike the water, to avoid the swell or sidevvise wave fromthe paddlewheel, and to lessen the lifting of water as the`buck etsleave the same. f

'I accomplish these objects by placing the buckets diagonally (at aboutforty-live degrees) to the axis oi' the shaft, and arranging 'them inranges or `rows around the wheel, the buckets of one range standing atanlopposite inclination to those of the next range, and I placethebuckets of one range' intermediate to those of the adjoining ranges.

Figure 1 represents ,an elevation 'of my improved paddle-wheel; y

Figure 2 is aplan of the same;

Figure 3 is an elevation; and i .Figure 4, a plan of one of the bucketsdetached.

ais the shaft of the paddle-wheel; b-b, the arms connected tothe shait aand to the rings d, in any suitable manner, and to these arms thebuckets c vare attached, the whole composingthe paddle-wheel.

These buckets are to be` arranged in two, four, or, more ranges or rows,running around the wheel, each range standing at an oppositeinclination, and each bucket in a position diagonal'to the axis of theshaft, and intermediate to the buckets of the adjoining ranges.

I prefer that the diagonal position of the buckets should be aboutforty-five degrees to the vertical .planes of the rims' or arms to whichthey are attached. i

By reference to fig. 2, it will be seen that by plac#l ing the bucketsin the diagonal position above mentioned, and by making the; inclinationof each range of buckets run in an opposite direction, each of said iranges forms a section of a many-threaded screw, one

projecting beyond the edges'of the rims of the wheel, and each bucketcoming to a sharp point. Instead of .being so formed they may be made'with a circular or straight outer edge,"as shown at fg, by dotted lines,fig. 1, or, if desired, the buckets might be iiush withv the rims of thewheel.

A paddle-wheel made in the manner above set forth possesses manyadvantages over the wheels heretofore used. The diagonalposition of thebuckets prevents concussion as they enter the water, and gives to eachof said buckets the properties of a section of a ,se`rew so that eachbucket commences to take a hold upon the water at the point of entering,and continues, during its entire passage through the water, to actagainst the water, and, during the latter part of its passage,

very little or no water is lifted,'and,astl`ie, lateral.

tendency of the water, as shown by the buckets of" one range, iscounteracted bythe next range of blickets, the water is passed 'directlyto the rear, and the heavy side swell caused by the ordinarypaddlefwheel is avoided, and the wheel acts vequally well, or nearly so,when going in' eitherl direction, and the' wheel may be immersed to agreater extent than the paddle- Wheels heretoforemade ,withoutinjuriously affecting the same, thereby'increasing Athe hold of thewheel on the water, and the paddles are not `liable to be injured by thewaves. j

I do not claim a paddle-wheel in which the buckets in one range stand atalternate inclinations between Vthe rings, and are so placed to `theadjacent range as to forma zigzag passage. ,l

In my wheel all the buckets of one range stand inclined in onedirection, and one bucket is separate and distinct from the next in therange, so that the buckets of one range are like-the many threads ofjarightfhanded screw, and the buckets of the next range are like the manythreads of a left-handed screw, and, these are arranged so that theedges of the buckets of one range are opposite the spaces between thebuckets of the next range.V A

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A paddle-wheel made of ranges ofbuckets, ar-

ranned as alternate right and left-hand screw-thread l sections, andpositioned in .the manner'and `for the purposes set forth.

2. A paddle-wheel in which the buckets are arranged as aforesaid, andthe outer edges of thebuck ets project, in the-- manner and for thepurposes set forth. j t i Signed this 28th day of December, A. D. 1869.

LEMUEL W. WRIGHT.

Witnesses: i

' GHAs. H. SMITH,

GEO. T. PrNoxNnY.

